


His Light, Her Spring

by lumiere_is_light



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hair Washing, Intimacy, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Nudity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:22:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24129640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lumiere_is_light/pseuds/lumiere_is_light
Summary: As Thranduil walked through the palace towards his private chambers, he found himself spiralling into a pit of anxiety. Every new thought brought on another darker thought and he felt the urge to cry out become much stronger. He started walking faster, wanting to get to his rooms as soon as was possible. He needed peace. He needed his mind to quiet down and there was only one person who could do such a thing for him.OrThranduil is overly stressed from running his kingdom and only his wife is able to fix that. She knows just what to do.Bathing. Hair washing. Bit of angst. Fluffy. All the good stuff.
Relationships: Thranduil/Thranduil's Wife
Comments: 1
Kudos: 21





	His Light, Her Spring

**Author's Note:**

> I have named Thranduil’s wife Caladhiel and in my mind she is played by Amanda Seyfried. Caladhiel is pronounced : Kah-lah-thee-ell and means “light” in Sindarin I think, correct me if I’m wrong. And for context Thranduil means “vigorous spring”.
> 
> This is the link to the Pinterest board I made about the the Greenwood Royal Family if you want to check that out - https://pin.it/TXAG6D3

Thranduil wanted to scream and cry. It was almost midnight and he has just finished with his royal obligations of the day. Between three of the border patrols coming back with horrendous news, mountains of papers to read and two very long council meetings, it had been a stress inducing day. Thranduil’s head was pounding, his neck and shoulders were wound up so tight they hurt. He was desperate to get to his chambers and just pass out.

The forest he so deeply cherished was being attacked by large packs of orcs every so often and the abandoned capital of the Woodland Realm, Amon Lanc, was darkening. The wood was unsettled and by proxy Thranduil was too. His worries had fallen on deaf ears, the other significant Elven lords and lady choosing not to head his concerns was beginning to agitate him. Thranduil understood why Elrond, Galadriel and Celeborn did not want to acknowledge any possibility of the peace they were experiencing being broken, but they did not live in the real world. They were shielded and Thranduil envied their ignorance. Thranduil’s chest constricted a little bit at that thought. 

As Thranduil walked through the palace towards his private chambers, he found himself spiralling into a pit of anxiety. Every new thought brought on another darker thought and he felt the urge to cry out become much stronger. He started walking faster, wanting to get to his rooms as soon as was possible. He needed peace. He needed his mind to quiet down and there was only one person who could do such a thing for him. 

He reached his private chambers. Quickly dismissing the guards stationed there, ordering them to go to either side of the hall. He swiftly opened the large double doors and entered his space. Thranduil leaned against the doors and let out a shuddering breath. The urge to scream and cry lessened slightly. The lights in the front room were dim and his beloved wife was nowhere to be found. Thranduil began walking to their shared sleeping chambers, noticing that there, the lights were still quite bright. 

Thranduil slowly entered the chambers and there she was. His wife, his lover, his world. Caladhiel.

Her hair long, strawberry gold hair was loose and fell down past her lower back. It was curly and slightly wild, but still fell down her back elegantly, not one hair out of place. Some hair was tucked behind a beautifully pointed ear. She wore a floor length robe, very nearly sheer if not for all the embroidered flowers. The sleeves were large and airy and the robe was tied at her waist in a perfect bow. She was a vision.

“Thranduil?” Caladhiel finally said, shaking him out of his thoughts. He blinked a few times and smiled at her, earning him a bright smile from his beloved. She glided over to him, her long robe fluttering behind her slightly. Caladhiel presses a small kiss to his cheek and then a deeper one to his lips, which Thranduil eagerly reciprocated. They parted after a moment, Caladhiel hands on his chest and one of his on her waist.

“You look weary meleth-nin. Your eyes are not as bright as they ought to be.” Caladhiel spoke with concern. Thranduil simply dropped to his knees in response, proceeding to wrap his arms around her lower body and press his forehead into her abdomen. Caladhiel brought her hands to his hair, running her fingers through his silver tresses. “Your duties were particularly stressful today I take it?”

“Unbearably so.” Thranduil murmured. He shut his eyes and simply allowed Caladhiel to take over his very being, his every thought. 

“Would you like to discuss it?” She whispered tentatively. Thranduil looked up at her for a moment and shook his head. Caladhiel nodded in response. “I was just about to bathe before you came in, would you care to join me?” She asked putting her hands to his face and tilting it up, allowing her to look at him. He smiled slightly and looked at her lovingly through tired eyes. He nodded, slowly standing up, towering over his wife once more. Thranduil quickly pulled off his boots, tossing them to the side haphazardly.

Caladhiel extended her hand to her husband, pulling him along as they made their way to their bathing room. Here they were no longer the Elvenking and Queen. They were just Thranduil and Caladhiel, husband and wife. The heat of the bathing chambers hit Thranduil very suddenly, causing him to stagger ever so slightly. 

The bathing chamber was smaller than their sleeping chambers but no less grand. A large dark green stone bath lay in the centre of the room, in view of the opening that looked over the forest and the night sky. The bath was already made, smelling of almonds with various types of flowers were floating in the silvery steaming bath water. Thranduil took a deep breath, the combination of the cool night air from the outside and the floral scented warm air from the bath filling his lungs. 

Thranduil noticed that Caladhiel had let go of his hand and was making her way to the vanity on the other side of the bath. She picked up a silver pin and started to put her long hair up, only a few strands in front of her ears staying down. With the pin secured she made her way back over to her husband. She smiled brightly at him, cupping his face with both of her impossibly soft hands.

“Come my love, undress, I shall ease your worries.” Caladhiel beckoned Thranduil with her soothing voice. He did not protest, shedding his outer robe and quickly dropping it. Caladhiel started unbuttoning the ornate buttons of his dark green kingly attire, revealing a thin white tunic underneath. Thranduil quickly took off both, revealing his lean but muscular chest. Caladhiel lightly ran her hands over pale skin, eliciting a small shiver from the elf before her. Thranduil made short work of his trousers and was left only in his breeches in front of his wife. She took a moment to admire his almost nude form and planted a kiss on his collar bone, then his neck and then finally his lips again. Thranduil could feel her nimble fingers tugging at his last item of clothing and so he pulled them off, noting the mischievous smile she wore on her beautiful face. 

Caladhiel stopped her ministrations and pulled Thranduil towards the bath. He stepped into the hot water, moaning ever so slightly at the sensation of his nude form being enveloped in this wonderful heat. Thranduil sat facing his wife and pulled all of his hair to one side over his shoulder. He closed his eyes for a moment, the stress of today’s events starting to melt away with the hot bath water. Thranduil opened his eyes again to Caladhiel untying the bow that held her robe closed. She pulled it off of her shoulders, allowing it to slip off of her easily and pool at her feet. Thranduil stared at his wife. Oh how she was beautiful. 

She slowly made her way to the bath, gracefully stepping in and submerged herself to her waist. Caladhiel dipped her hands in and brought some of the steaming water to her shoulders and her neck. Thranduil watched her and attempted to memorise her for for the thousandth time. After she finished, she turned to Thranduil, her face tranquility and love. Her warm hands came up to the muscle between his neck and shoulders, pinching them ever so slightly. Her eyebrows knitted in concern again.

“You are so tense Thranduil, I fear you have wound yourself up tight. Relax meleth-nin, the day is over.” Caladhiel spoke with such gentleness that Thranduil could not help heading her words. He released a breath he had not realised he was holding and smiled at her. He then leaned into her, pressing his chest against hers and kissed her once more passionately. As he attempted to wrap his arms around her small back, she giggled and broke the kiss, weakly pushing him away. “We will have time for that later Spring. Dip your head in the water, I will clean your hair and get the tension out of you.”

“That may be an impossible task nin elena, I warn you.” Thranduil said as he submerged himself in the water completely. He remained there for a moment, allowing the silvery water to dance about his face and seep into his hair. He emerged from the water, his soaked hair plastered to his neck and back, with water flowing down it. Thranduil wiped the excess water off of his face and his eyes searched for Caladhiel. She came into view with two glass bottles of oil. She set them aside on the edge of the stone bath and turned back to Thranduil.

“Face the stars my spring.” She said impossibly softly. Thranduil obeyed and positioned himself so his back was to her. He felt her move as well, putting her knees on either side of his rib cage and sitting one step higher than him. Caladhiel then started running her hands through Thranduil’s silver white hair, skilfully taking out any knots. Thranduil sat quietly, simply staring out at the night sky and relishing in her touch. When she finished brushing through his hair she picked up one of the glass bottles. She poured the natural purple oil in her hand and began massaging it into his scalp. Caladhiel could feel the tension in his head, his heart beat pounding in his temples. His day had been more stressful than she had previously thought. She increased the pressure on his scalp, moving to his temples and the back of his neck as she went. “Meleth, I can feel your heart beat in your temples, what happened today?” 

Thranduil inhaled sharply and then released a shaky sigh. Caladhiel saw his back muscles tense up as he prepared to speak.

“Everything is... just awful.” Thranduil finally said. “My councillors are unable to make one sound and simple decision. Three of the border patrols returned with grave news. The Peredhil and Celeborn still choose ignorance over acknowledging the evil that resides behind Gundabad, constantly telling me that it is dormant. I had hoped that maybe Celebrían would listen, but she too will not acknowledge it.” Thranduil paused for a moment and took a shaky inhale. Caladhiel breath hitched slightly, anxiety radiated off him in crashing waves. “Orc packs and spiders come more frequently than before. What was Amon Lanc seems to fall deeper into ruin every time I look. The forest is darkening, it may not be visible yet, but I feel it, like a tree beginning to topple excruciatingly slowly. There are so many things wrong and our realm looks to me for guidance I am unable to give.” 

Caladhiel’s hands moved from Thranduil’s head to his neck as he finished speaking. She took a moment to absorb his words. She felt saddened by his words, the doubt and anxiousness. She had not heard this doubt and anxiety since he had first become king, so many years ago and in the middle of a terrible war no less. Those memories haunted him and drove everything he did.

“Thranduil my love, the crown you wear is a heavy burden and I cannot for a moment fathom what the role of king entails even with my duties as queen. Elrond and Celebrían had their twins not a short half century ago, I’m sure they are not being ignorant to your concerns on purpose.” Caladhiel said cautiously. Thranduil bowed his head slightly and nodded. Caladhiel picked up a bowl that sat on the side of the bath, filling it with water and slowly pouring it over his head. She used her free hand to rinse out the oil as she poured the water. “What was Amon Lanc has long started to darken, we cannot undo Oropher’s abandonment of the fortress and we must live with that for as long as we rule this realm.”

She paused, allowing Thranduil to take in her words. He knew she was right, she always was. They both knew however that just living with these things was not enough to ease the king’s mind.

“The filth that enters our lands we will fend off as we always have, we will protect our kingdom. And if your councilmen cannot make a simple decision, make it for them. It matters not that they are older and advised your father before you, you outrank them.” She said with a bit of venom. If Caladhiel was honest with herself, she disliked Thranduil’s advisers. They were vain and clung desperately to their position, constantly making unflattering comparisons between Thranduil and Oropher. It irked her like no other. 

They fell into a comfortable silence for a few moments while Caladhiel started lathering Thranduil’s hair with a silvery oil. The tension in his body had lessened slightly at her words, but she had yet to touch upon the most troubling concern. She combed through his white hair with oil in her hands for a short time before putting it all over one of his broad shoulders. Caladhiel then wordlessly began pulling Thranduil until his back touched her bare chest. His head leant on her left shoulder and he held onto the legs encircling him. As Caladhiel wrapped her arms around his bare upper body, caught sight of his face and it made her heart ache.

Silent tears fell out of his pale blue eyes, creating tracks on his face. Thranduil still stared ahead of him at stars, his normally stoic face a picture of sadness. Caladhiel pressed her cheek into the side of his head and caressed her husband softly.

“I know the forest darkens meleth. I have felt it too. It may seem like all hope is beginning to fade but it is not so. There is still much good that can outweigh the bad.” Caladhiel said softly into his ear.

“It seems so scarce these days.” Thranduil whispered, his voice thick with tears. 

“There is goodness and light, it is never far my love.” Caladhiel whispered as she wiped away his tears with feather light touches. Thranduil smiled sadly at her words. She was once again, right. She always found good in terrible situations and that eased Thranduil’s mind and spirit. He inclined his head towards her.

“Thank you my love. I do not think I would survive without you.” He said softly. He tilted his lips to hers and kissed her deeply. She smiled into it, caressing his jaw with one hand. When they broke apart, Caladhiel once again washed the silver oil out of Thranduil’s hair. He did feel better, the tension in his neck and shoulders had bled out through her loving touch. When she finished, he resumed his position, leaning on her chest and holding her legs as she held him in her loving embrace. They sat there for a time, simply breathing and being together. Thranduil fidgeted absentmindedly with a few of the flowers that floated past him in the water, seemingly finding some sort of peace after the disaster of a day he had. 

They eventually left the bath and walked hand in hand back to the bed chambers. Caladhiel pulled the pin out of her hair, allowing her curls to cascade down her back freely once more. She shed her robe once more and climbed into bed wearing nothing. She beckoned Thranduil to her, who could not resist her call. He dropped the robe he had been wearing and got into bed with his wife. They left only one candle lit, it’s soft glow bathing them in golden light. They lay on their side, their foreheads pressed together and their hands grasping each other. 

“Cin I galad -o nin cuil, meleth-nin.” Thranduil said to Caladhiel impossibly gently. Her face lit up brightly and she smiled equally so. She pulled her head back slightly to look her husband in the eye.

“The Valar have blessed us with another light nin ethuil.” She whispered. Thranduil’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion and Caladhiel giggled softly. She pulled one of his hands that she grasped and pulled it to her bare stomach, allowing him to feel the imperceptible bump there. Suddenly it clicked in his mind and his eyes widened enormously. “That light is growing inside of me meleth.” Caladhiel’s eyes were filling with tears of joy as Thranduil’s face broke into pure happiness, his blue eyes lighting up in an instant.

Thranduil pulled Caladhiel into a tight embrace, kissing every available part of her possible. Tears of pure joy escaped both of their eyes as they lay there with their warm bodies pressed close together. Thranduil’s previous woes and stress from the day passed had been mostly forgotten in this moment. His thoughts instead occupied by his love and the light she housed inside her. His mind did not register the worries and darkness of the world he inhabited. Thranduil and Caladhiel were going to welcome an elfling of their own and their lives were to become ever brighter.

**Author's Note:**

> I loved writing that, I hoped you loved reading it. If you have particular requests please let me know!  
> Translations:  
> \- nin elena - my stars  
> \- Meleth-nin - my love  
> \- Cin i galad -o nin cuil, meleth-nin - you are the light of my life, my love  
> \- Nin ethuil - my spring


End file.
